This invention relates to the protection of skis. More specifically, this invention relates to a method and article which may be used for protecting the edges and bottoms of skis during storage and transportation.
The prior art has used numerous different methods and articles for securing skis together for ease of transportation and protection of the skis. Often skis have been tied together by bands or straps of leather provided with metal buckles fastening opposite ends of the straps together. Alternately, relatively heavy rubber bands having mating metal clips at opposite ends have been used. Further, a number of bags or similar containers have been used for protecting the skis.
Prior U.S. patents include the following:
U.S. Pat. Nos., 2,180,686, Lorinovich, Nov. 21, 1939 PA1 U.S. Pat. Nos., 3,731,348, Luehne, May 8, 1973 PA1 U.S. Pat. Nos., 3,841,648, Meyer, Oct. 15, 1974 PA1 U.S. Pat. Nos., 3,851,689, Kohls, Dec. 3, 1974 PA1 U.S. Pat. Nos., 4,012,050, Miller, Mar. 15, 1977
The Lorinovich patent discloses a ski protector having two canvas covers which fit around separate skis of a pair and may be strapped together.
The Luehne patent discloses a ski tying strap using layers of elastic rubber which fit in between a pair of bottom-to-bottom skis and extend around the outside of the skis. Fabric fasteners such as sold under the brand "Velcro" are used for securing the strap to encircle the skis.
The Meyer patent shows a tie which may be used for securing skis together in a bottom-to-bottom relationship with a small layer of nylon reinforced polyvinyl material in between the ski bottoms. Fabrics fasteners such as "Velcro" are used to secure the tie.
The Kohls patent shows a ski cover wherein two skis may be positioned in bottom-to-bottom relationship with a partition of flexible material in between their bottoms.
The Miller patent shows a ski protector which will fit around a ski in a fashion similar to a boot fitting around a wearer's foot. Additionally, the bottom of the boot-like protection may include adhesive fabric strips, such as "Velcro", which may be used to mate one ski boot to a ski boot around the other ski of the pair.
Although prior art ski protectors have been generally useful in certain respects, they have been subject to a number of disadvantages. Although the tie or band type ski protectors are convenient because of their relatively small size, they are disadvantageous generally in that they do not protect the ski edges except at the points on the skis where they are located. That is, the ski edges may be damaged anywhere along the length of the ski except where the ties or bands are actually located. Further, several of the prior art ski protectors include metal parts which may mar ski edges or ski bottoms and may injure individuals, especially where they are used with elastic bands which may snap the metal part against an individual's skin. Although the bag type protector devices avoid several of these problems, they are disadvantageous in that they are not as easy to store as the tie or band protectors. Often they are too bulky to fit in a skier's pocket. Further, such bag type protectors and especially boot type protectors which fit over a ski are disadvantageous in that they may be limited to use with a particular size ski. If a boot is made for a particular size ski, it will not satisfactorily protect skis which are of a different size.